The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Application aids for adhesive bandages or wound dressings have been known for quite some time. These application aids are particularly used for film dressings. Film dressings are thin, usually transparent, semipermeable films or foils made of polymer materials. The semipermeable nature of the films prevents the penetration of bacteria or moisture and thereby guarantees a sufficient exchange of oxygen and condensation between the skin to be covered and the outside surroundings of the film dressing. These film dressings are used in a variety of ways—for example, as an incision film for sterile covering of surgery wounds, as a water-proof cover of wound dressings that absorb exudates, and for positioning catheters or cannulas. Due to the minimal thickness of these films and their respective instability, these film dressings are equipped with a wide variety of application aids. Most of these application aids use an additional supporting layer which is removed during or after the application of the film dressing.
The patent literature has also known film wound dressings for quite some time. For example, EP 81 990 B1 describes an adhesive wound dressing that consists of a thin polymer film. This polymer film is coated on one side with an adhesive material that adheres to the skin, which in turn is covered with a removable layer. On the other side, which during application is opposite of the body, the polymer film also has an easily removable support layer to improve the ease of use, which consists of a fibrous material, for example, a non-transparent non-woven material. This support layer is of the same size as the polymer film.
EP 690 706 B1 describes an adhesive wound dressing, which has a carrying layer to aid the ease of application of a polymer film, which is comprised by a wound dressing. This carrying layer completely covers the polymer film and can be removed from the polymer film in two steps. For this purpose, a center section is removed from the carrying layer, whereas in the next step a frame section is removed. The fact that it is difficult for the user to grasp the carrying layer of this wound dressing is unfavorable.
In addition, EP 951 263 B1 describes an adhesive film dressing, the adhesive side of which at least one two-part removable protective layer covers the adhesive side and where its non-adhesive second side comprises a one-part support layer. The support layer in this film dressing is hinge-like attached to the protective layer on two opposite sides so that the support layer is removed simultaneously with the support layer.
EP 473 918 B1 describes a film dressing that comprises a one-sided supporting film, which in turn has one grip strip on each of the two opposite sides. This position of the grip strips has the disadvantage that there is no pre-determined direction for removing the supporting film.
EP 985 931 A1 describes a film-based dressing material, which comprises a non-adhesive gripper in the peripheral area of the film. The non-adhesive side of the film comprises a one-part support layer, which is equal to the size of the film and comprises at least one grip strip. By pulling the gripper in the direction of the adhesion, the applied film can be removed again painlessly.
The European patent specification EP 630 628 B1 established a film dressing that comprises for the ease of application a two-part supporting film. This supporting film is larger than the film to be applied and completely covers it. In order to remove the supporting film, the supporting film comprises an additional adhesive removal strip, which is positioned above the intersection line of the supporting film and for handling purposes has two non-adhesive peripheral areas that serve as grip strips. This additional removal strip serves to remove only a portion of the supporting film, whereas the second part of the supporting film remains on the polymer films.
WO 97/25012 A1 suggests a film dressing which is provided either continuously or only on two opposing peripheral areas of the film with a two-part supporting layer. If the supporting film is continuously attached to the film dressing, then gripper supports may be positioned on the supporting film. The adhesive protective layer opposite of the supporting layer is divided into three sections.
These industrial property rights present various alternative solutions to film and foil dressings with various application systems. The film dressings which have been suggested as a solution in these industrial property rights are viewed in part as too complicated in their construction and too complicated in their application. Furthermore, the film dressings with application aids suggested in these protective rights all exhibit a rigidity which is considered too high in respect of the very flexible polymer film that is actually to be applied. This flexibility of the film dressings is necessary, however, to apply the polymer films which are actually to be applied, accurate and wrinkle-free.